Device for salvage of ships by compressed air



Aug' 13 m4@- G. HANTJoPoULos l 294059649 DEVICE FOR SALVAGE OF'SHIPS BYy COMPRESSED AI-R Filed March 9, 1944 2 shets-sheetfz A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 13 1946 DEVICE FOR SALVAGE F SHIPS BY v COMPRESSED AIR George Hantjopoulo's, New York, N. Y. Application March 9, 1944, Serial No. 525,710

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a device for the salvage of ships by compressed air.

More particularly, the invention proposes the salvage of submarines or other ships which are accidentally damaged or sunk, or 'which cannot come to the surface for other reasons and also to prevent sinking of Vessels.

'Ihe invention proposes to characterize the salvage device by an air pipe line extending from the bow to th'e stern of the ship and controlled with valves operable from the interior or exterior of the ship. With this arrangement it is possible for a rescue ship to connect up an air line with said air line pipe. The invention also contemplates the use of a plurality of branches from said air pipe line'to compartments built into said submarine or ship. These compartments are provided with one way valves for draining them under air pressure.

The invention proposes an arrangement wh'ereby the rescue ship may attach an air line and expel water from said compartments if flooded and so assist in raising the ship to the surface.

The invention also proposes an arrangement whereby pumps from the interior of the ship may be connected up to expel the water, if this is feasible.

The invention also proposes an arrangement for sealing breaks in th'e outer walls of the compartments under certain conditions.

For further comprehension of the invention, and oi the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ship equipped with salvage means constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The salvage means for ships by compressed air, in accordance with this invention, is used in combination with a submarine or ship ID having a plurality of partitions II dividing off a plurality of separated compartments I2. These compartments extend from the port to th'e ster-n of the 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-50) ship. An airline I3 is mounted on or beneath the deck of the ship and also extends from the bow to the stern.

This airline I3 is associated with means for controlling its air operable from the interior and from the exterior of the ship. More specifically, the airline I3 connectswith air pipes I. provided with normally capped unions I4 exterior of the ship for connecting with an air hose from a rescue ship. The air pipe line I3 is'also provided with three Way valves l5having operating handles I6 and Il, one of which is interior of the ship and the other exterioro'f the ship, see particularly Fig. 3. The three way valves I5 connect the airline I3 with branch lines IB certain of which connect with `air pumps or similar mecha,- nism I9 within the ship.

Other of said branches I3 connect up with th'e various compartments I 2. All of these three way valves I5 are also provided with handles I6 and I'I exterior and interior of the ship by which they may be manipulated. Fig. 5 discloses a detail of one of the three way valves I5. In one position of the valve, th'e valve proper 20 thereof connects the airline I3 with the branch line I8. The valve proper 20 may be turned 180 and then merely the sections of the airline I3 Will be coni nected with each other, but the branch I8 will not be in connection and will not be supplied with air from th'e airline I3.

Each of the compartments I2 is provided with a one way valve 2| in its bottom by which the compartments may be drained under pressure. These one way valves 2| are normally urged into closed positions by springs 22. They open automatically when pressure is built up within the compartment.

The outer walls 23 of the compartments I2 are associated with means for sealing breaks in these walls provided the breaks are not too large. The Walls 23 are of hollow construction and contain closely spaced screens 24. The space between the screens is indicated by reference numeral 25. This space 25 connects up with a supply of tar composition 26 or some other chemical which may be softened to flow by heat. The tar or composition or other chemical 26 is contained in the top portionof the wall 23. Steam radiating pipes 21 extend through the tar or other material 25. These steam radiating pipes have their ends provided with normally capped unions 28 by which they may be connected up with a steam supply from a rescue ship.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Should any ofthe compartments I2 become flooded and the ship sinks to the bottom, persons within the ship may attempt to empty the compartments I2 by connecting up the pumps I9 for pumping air into the compartments so as to force out the water through the one way valves 2l. A ship coming to the rescue may assist this operation, or may carry out the operation. However, it is rst necessary that the caps or plugs be removed from the unions I4. Then the air pipes are connected up with the unions and compressed air is forced into the air pipe line I3. The valves I5 may be opened from the exterior of the ship by manipulating the external handles I6. Certain of the valves I5 may be closed, if this is required.

In the event it is not possible to iioat the ship by draining the drainable compartments I2,an other attempt at rescue may be carried` out by supplying hot steam to the steam pipes 21. This melts the tar composition .26, which then runs down. between the screens 24. v Ii the puncture of any particular compartment is not too great, the tar may seal the break. After sucient time has elapsed for the tar to seal the break, another attempt is made to exhaust the compartments I2. Y

While Iv have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a submarine or ship having a plurality of compartments from bow to stern, an air pipe line extending from said bow to said stern, means for controlling air in said pipe line and operable from the interior and from the exterior of said ship, branches from said air Dipe line to said compartments and having control Valves operable from the interior and from the exterior of said ship, one Way valves in the bottoms of said compartments for draining same under pressure, and means for probably sealing breaks in certain of the walls of said compartments including a sealing composition within lportions of said certain walls, and means for the exterior of said ship, one way valves in the bottomsJ of said compartments for draining same under pressure, and means Afor probably sealing breaks in certain of the walls of said compartments, including closely spaced screens mounted within said certain Walls, a sealing composition above said screens and connected up with the space between the screens, and means for supplying heat to melt said sealing tar so that it runs down between said screens.

GEORGE HANTJOPOULOS. 

